Topic
Bank of Russia
OSINT Investigation Exposes Fraudulent Russian Garlic Investment Scheme Masquerading as Local Production
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Aeroflot to Accept Digital Rubles for Ticket Purchases Starting September 2026
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Wildberries and Ozon to Accept Digital Rubles from September 1, 2026
OtherCentral Bank of Russia Confirms Digital Ruble Will Be Free for Citizens with No Commissions
The Bank of Russia has announced that all operations with the digital ruble will be completely free of charge for individual citizens. Director of the National Payment Systems Department Alla Bakina stated that transfers and payments for private users will incur zero commissions. Businesses will still face fees, but the regulator promises they will be minimal and lower than standard bank rates for similar transactions. Starting 1 September, Russians will be able to open digital ruble wallets through mobile apps of systemically important banks and other payment-significant credit institutions. A dedicated button with the new currency logo will appear on the main screen of these applications. Payments will be made via a special QR code that buyers scan in their banking app before selecting the digital ruble wallet and confirming the transaction. Large retail chains with annual revenue exceeding 120 million rubles must begin accepting digital ruble payments from September, with the requirement later expanding to smaller merchants. The Bank of Russia emphasizes that the digital ruble represents a third form of the national currency alongside cash and bank deposits, available for voluntary use by citizens.
Bank of Russia Publishes Methodological Recommendations No. 3-MR on AI Security for Financial Market Participants
The Bank of Russia has released methodological recommendations No. 3-MR dated 16 June 2026, providing detailed guidance on ensuring information security during the development and use of artificial intelligence systems in the financial sector. The document builds on the earlier Code of Ethics for AI in finance and integrates with existing risk management, operational resilience, and data protection frameworks already familiar to credit institutions and other market participants. It introduces standardized terminology for AI-specific threats such as hallucinations, data drift, and poisoned datasets while outlining six risk categories and a four-stage AI system lifecycle model. Organizations are advised to apply threat modeling based on FSTEC methodology, implement proportional controls across data preparation, development, training, and operation phases, and maintain human oversight for high-risk automated processes. Special attention is given to supply chain risks involving third-party vendors and open-source components, requiring due diligence, provenance tracking, and contractual safeguards aligned with existing outsourcing standards. The recommendations remain non-binding yet signal clear regulatory expectations that are likely to influence future compliance checks and audits.
RZD Trunk Quantum Network Obtains FSTEC Attestation and Enters External Commercial Market
Russia’s state-owned railway operator RZD has successfully passed certification by the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC), confirming that its trunk quantum network meets the requirements for information systems of the second protection class. The attestation enables RZD to begin offering quantum-secured communication services to external organizations, including banks, industrial enterprises, medical institutions, and transport companies. Quantum key distribution technology allows any interception attempt to be detected because interference with the quantum channel alters the state of transmitted particles, providing a level of security far beyond conventional encryption methods. The network is already being tested by the Bank of Russia, the Federal Treasury, the Financial University, and several major banks, with potential clients also identified in the oil-and-gas, industrial, healthcare, and transportation sectors. The Ministry of Digital Development considers the technology sufficiently mature and has included further expansion of the quantum network through 2030 in the national “Data Economy” project roadmap. As a result, RZD is gradually transforming from a traditional carrier of passengers and cargo into an operator of protected digital highways.